Breast shield

Abstract

A breast cup ( 4 ) for use with a breast pump ( 1 ) for pumping off breast milk comprises a breast-cup funnel ( 40 ) for application to a breast, a first coupling part ( 42 ) for connection to the breast pump ( 1 ), and a second coupling part ( 43 ) for connection to a milk collection vessel ( 44 ). The breast cup ( 4 ) has an electrical resistance heating element ( 5 ) that warms it and that is made of an electrically conductive plastic material.

1. A breast shield for use with a breastpump for expressing breastmilk, the breast shield comprising:
 a breast shield funnel for application to a mother's breast; 
 a first coupling part for connection to the breastpump; and 
 a second coupling part for connection to a milk collection container; 
 the breast shield having an electrical resistance heating element for warming the breast shield, wherein the electrical resistance heating element is made of an electrically conductive plastic material and the breast shield is produced in a two-component or multi-component injection-molding operation, thereby connecting the resistance heating element unreleasably to a rest of said breast shield; 
 wherein the electrically conductive plastic material comprises a plastic base material and an electrically conductive fibrous or powdery additive; and 
 wherein the breast shield funnel has a rigid area and a soft area, and in which the electrical resistance heating element is arranged in the soft area. 
 
     
     
       2. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which fibers of the additive have a length of 100 to 300 μm. 
     
     
       3. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the additive is one or more materials from the following group: carbon fibers, copper fibers, iron fibers. 
     
     
       4. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the additive is powdery and comprised of one or more materials from the following group: iron powder, copper powder, soot. 
     
     
       5. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the plastic base material is polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). 
     
     
       6. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the additive is fibrous and is admixed to the plastic base material in a quantity of 10% to 30% (percent by weight). 
     
     
       7. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the breast shield funnel has the resistance heating element. 
     
     
       8. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the resistance heating element is embedded in the material of the breast shield funnel. 
     
     
       9. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the resistance heating element lies on the material of the breast shield funnel. 
     
     
       10. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the breast shield funnel is made of polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA) or polyethylene (PE). 
     
     
       11. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the breast shield funnel has an electrical plug-in connection. 
     
     
       12. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the first coupling part has an electrical plug-in connection. 
     
     
       13. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 12 , in which the electrical plug-in connection is arranged adjacent to a suction connection. 
     
     
       14. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the electrical resistance heating element is arranged in a spiral or circular shape on the breast shield funnel. 
     
     
       15. The breast shield as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor.